Socioecological Influences on Tool Use in Captive Chimpanzees

Some tool use in wild chimpanzees is seasonal because they follow the patterns of availability of resources. The type and abundance of vegetation affect the selection of materials used for tools. Besides triggering, does seasonality also shape tool use? We tested the tool performance of 2 chimpanzee groups in a large outdoor compound, enriched with hundreds of plants. We conducted the experiments in 4 seasons to test their behavioural adaptation to the environmental changes. Initially the groups showed preference for different tool materials, one group using grass, abundant in summer, the other using twigs. While twigs were constant through the year, the availability of grass fluctuated greatly, affecting the number of insertions and success of the individuals that used it. Therefore, seasonality did not affect the performance of the group that preferred twigs (less abundant but constant) as it affected the performance of the group that preferred grass (plentiful in certain seasons and scarce in others). We recorded several cases of observation, which may have biased the choices of material. Analysis of the episodes and first insertions of some subjects suggests social transmission, which might explain the initial intergroup difference in tool preference.     

Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) in Captive,Group-Housed,Female Chimpanzees

Over a 5-y period, 3 chimpanzees at our institution experienced cerebrovascular accidents (strokes). In light of the increasing population of aged captive chimpanzees and lack of literature documenting the prevalence and effectiveness of various treatments for stroke in chimpanzees, we performed a retrospective review of the medical records and necropsy reports from our institution. A survey was sent to other facilities housing chimpanzees that participate in the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan to inquire about their experience with diagnosing and treating stroke. This case report describes the presentation, clinical signs, and diagnosis of stroke in 3 recent cases and in historical cases at our institution. Predisposing factors, diagnosis, and treatment options of cerebral vascular accident in the captive chimpanzee population are discussed also.Abbreviations: CVA, cerebrovascular accidentCerebrovascular accident (CVA; stroke) is a disturbance in brain function due to insufficient or complete loss of blood supply to an area of the brain. The lesion and clinical signs depend on the severity and location of the blockage. The 2 main categories of stroke—ischemic and hemorrhagic—both result in a loss of blood flow to an associated area of the brain. Ischemic strokes are due to either insufficient or direct loss of blood flow to the affected area of the brain from either temporary or permanent arterial occlusion of vessels supplying that area. Hemorrhagic strokes occur from rupture of a blood vessel and subsequent leakage of blood intracranially or into the subarachnoid space which results in clotting and decreased blood flow within that vessel and compression of the brain.^8,14,16,19 Loss of blood supply to a part of the brain, which can occur with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, initiates an ischemic cascade. The ischemic cascade is the result of secondary lack of oxygen and glucose; this lack consequently changes the intracellular metabolism from aerobic to anaerobic. This process ultimately leads to cell death and resultant disruption of cell membranes, thereby releasing toxins into the surrounding area and leading to increased cell death. This process results in a centrifugal progression of irreversible tissue damage and cell death.^1,11Brain tissue ceases to function when deprived of oxygen for more than 60 to 90 s, and irreversible tissue necrosis and brain damage can occur after a few hours. Ischemic strokes can result in varying degrees of damage to the tissue; consequently, clinical signs depend upon the amount of collateral circulation supplying the affected region of the brain. Part of the tissue may die immediately, whereas other parts may be injured only temporarily and ultimately recover.⁸ Clinical signs that are typical of stroke victims consist of abnormal sensations, hemiparesis (that is, paralysis in one arm or leg or on one side of the body), aphasia, ataxia, and urinary incontinence. Severe strokes can result in stupor or coma. The defect in the brain usually is manifested as clinical signs on the opposite side of the body, depending on the part of brain that is affected.^8,9 Diagnosis typically is based initially on clinical signs and confirmed with imaging techniques such as CT and MRI, or the lesion is noted at necropsy.^6,16Whereas strokes are common in humans, only one report to date has discussed and documented spontaneous stroke in a chimpanzee.⁶ In 2004, a 29-y-old male chimpanzee at a zoo experienced an ischemic stroke that most likely was due to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.^2,6 The area of the brain supplied by the middle cerebral artery is the area most often affected in ischemic stroke in humans.^2,10 Although stroke has not been thoroughly researched in chimpanzees, studies in other species of nonhuman primates suggest that the predisposing factors and pathology are similar to those in humans.^3,18,20This case report describes the presentation, clinical signs, and diagnosis of CVA that occurred in 3 chimpanzees over a 5-y period at our institution and in an additional 3 animals identified during a retrospective review of the health records from the last 30 y. We also discuss predisposing factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and statistics of CVA in the captive chimpanzee population.     

Female Genito-genital Rubbing in a Group of Captive Chimpanzees

Wild and captive female bonobos exhibit a form of noncopulatory sexual behavior—genito-genital (GG) rubbing—in which 2 individuals rub their genital regions together. GG-rubbing in bonobos occurs in several contexts and may serve several functions, including tension reduction and reconciliation. It has not been reported for chimpanzees. In a study of captive, adolescent chimpanzees at the New Iberia Research Center, I observed that females rubbed genital regions at rates equivalent to those of bonobos, though the form of the behavior differed in significant ways from classic bonobo GG-rubbing. I describe the pattern of GG-rubbing in the chimpanzees and provide preliminary tests of 5 hypotheses for why the behavior occurs. All 4 females in the study group participated in GG-rubbing, though the frequency with which they initiated and participated varied. Females that GG-rubbed the most also groomed each other the most, supporting the hypothesis that GG-rubbing reinforces or at least reflects social bonds. The data do not support the hypothesis that females GG-rub to reconcile conflicts, to reduce tension during feeding, to signal social status, or to attract mates.     

Tool Use in a Group of Captive Chimpanzees I. Escape

A group of 4 female and 3 male adolescent wild-born chimpanzees was observed for 7 months in an outdoor enclosure. Use of tools aimed at escaping from this enclosure is described, the two main techniques being the use of poles as ladders and sticks as pitons.     

Personality in Captive Chimpanzees: Use of a Novel Rating Procedure

We present a new method to assess the personalities of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Using individually generated bipolar constructs, experienced observers rated the personalities of chimpanzees on a five-point scale. Each observer chose a subset of his/her own constructs and we performed a separate factor analysis on each set of ratings. The analyses indicate four factors: dominance, sociability, machiavellianism, and anxiety. We propose that this factor structure will be useful in the development of a single rating instrument with which to assess the personalities of captive chimpanzees.     

Environmental Influences on Sleep Behavior in Captive Male Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Little is known as to the influence of captivity and stressful events on sleep patterns in primates. We investigated the sleep patterns of 19 male chimpanzees living under similar conditions at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Uto (CSU) in Kumamoto, Japan, using a behavioral sleep index. We conducted nighttime observations of all subjects during a stable period and then observed three subjects after relocation to an unfamiliar facility at CSU. We estimated length of sleep and nonsleep periods over 13-h video recordings using instantaneous sampling at 1-min intervals to record sleep, which we defined operationally as an inactive posture with the body lying down with the head on the floor or on nesting materials. The 19 subjects slept for a mean ± SEM of 11.3?±?0.26?h during the stable period, and sleep patterns varied significantly among the subjects. The three relocated subjects all showed temporarily decreased sleep duration in the post-move period but subsequently recovered to the levels observed during the stable period when habituated to the new living quarters. These results suggest that a stressful event may induce temporary sleep shortage lasting for >1?wk in captive chimpanzees. Sleep patterns may serve as a useful behavioral index of the stress response, as it is less confounded by other behaviors and the actions of human caretakers than other indices.     

The Occurrence and Ape-to-Ape Transmission of the Entodiniomorphid Ciliate Troglodytella abrassarti in Captive Gorillas

ABSTRACT. Entodiniomorphid ciliates are often present in the colons of wild apes. In captive apes the infection tends to gradually disappear, with the exception of Troglodytella abrassarti . We used fecal examinations to screen the gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) in European (Czech Republic, UK) and Australian Zoos to explore the ape-to-ape transmission pattern of T. abrassarti . Gorillas from two out of three European Zoos were positive for T. abrassarti , while gorillas from the Australian Zoo were negative. We documented a horizontal transmission of T. abrassarti to a non-infected adult gorilla introduced into a Troglodytella -positive group in the Prague Zoo and traced the origin of the ciliate infection to the Paignton Zoo (UK) using serial fecal examinations. During this study, two infant gorillas born in the Prague Zoo (CZ) first became positive for T. abrassarti at the age of 9 mo. Ciliate morphology and the sequencing of the small subunit rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer rDNA spacer region revealed that T. abrassarti affects both captive gorillas and chimpanzees. We conclude that zoo transport plays a major role in the distribution of T. abrassarti among captive gorillas.     

Preliminary Insights into the Phylogeography of Six Aquatic Hyphomycete Species

Aquatic hyphomycetes occur worldwide on a wide range of plant substrates decomposing in freshwaters, and are known to play a key role in organic matter turnover. The presumed worldwide distribution of many aquatic hyphomycete species has been based on morphology-based taxonomy and identification, which may overlook cryptic species, and mask global-scale biogeographical patterns. This might be circumvented by using DNA sequence data. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region from rDNA was recently designated as the most suitable barcode for fungal identification. In this study, we generated ITS barcodes of 130 isolates belonging to 6 aquatic hyphomycete species (Anguillospora filiformis, Flagellospora penicillioides, Geniculospora grandis, Lunulospora curvula, Tetrachaetum elegans and Tricladium chaetocladium), and collected from streams of Southwest Europe (86 isolates) and East Australia (44 isolates). European and Australian populations of 4 species (A. filiformis, F. penicillioides, G. grandis and T. elegans) grouped into different clades, and molecular diversity indices supported significant differentiation. Continents did not share haplotypes, except for T. chaetocladium. Overall results show substantial population diversity for all tested species and suggests that the biogeography of aquatic hyphomycetes may be species-specific.     

不同丰容方式对圈养成年山魈行为影响的试验

于2011年对成都动物园饲养的8只成年圈养山魈进行3种食物丰容、2种环境丰容及5种食物与环境丰容试验,考察不同形式丰容方式对圈养山魈行为的影响.结果表明,第一期丰容试验(B)后,山魈的休息行为、运动行为和玩耍行为增加极显著(P＜0.01),而交往行为和取食行为减少极显著(P＜0.01);第二期丰容(D)后,休息行为减少极显著,交往行为增加显著,运动行为、采食行为和玩耍行为增加极显著.山魈对纯轮胎丰容方式的接触次数最少,而对食物丰容方式接触次数更多.有两种丰容方式(纯轮胎丰容和纯轮胎+纯麻袋丰容)仅持续很短的时间即失去作用,其余的丰容方式一般在第8d出现兴趣下降的现象,因此建议每种丰容方式的持续使用时间不超过8d.     

Insights into the biology of Escherichia coli through structural proteomics

Escherichia coli has historically been an important organism for understanding a multitude of biological processes, and represents a model system as we attempt to simulate the workings of living cells. Many E. coli strains are also important human and animal pathogens for which new therapeutic strategies are required. For both reasons, a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the protein structure complement of E. coli is needed at the genome level. Here, we provide examples of insights into the mechanism and function of bacterial proteins that we have gained through the Bacterial Structural Genomics Initiative (BSGI), focused on medium-throughput structure determination of proteins from E. coli. We describe the structural characterization of several enzymes from the histidine biosynthetic pathway, the structures of three pseudouridine synthases, enzymes that synthesize one of the most abundant modified bases in RNA, as well as the combined use of protein structure and focused functional analysis to decipher functions for hypothetical proteins. Together, these results illustrate the power of structural genomics to contribute to a deeper biological understanding of bacterial processes.     

Male Dominance Rank,Female Mate Choice and Male Mating and Reproductive Success in Captive Chimpanzees

Mating and consequently reproductive success in male vertebrates are predominantly determined by intermale competition and female mate choice. Their relative importance however, is still poorly understood. We investigated the interrelationship between male dominance rank — a formal indicator of male competitive ability — female mate choice, and male mating success in a multimale-multifemale group of captive chimpanzees. In addition, we examined the relationship between male dominance rank and reproductive success determined by genetic paternity analysis over a 13-yr period in the same captive population. We related the frequencies of sociosexual behaviors to the female anogenital swelling stage and female fertile phase as determined by urinary and fecal progestogen analysis. Rates of behaviors in both sexes increased with increasing intensity of female swelling, but they were not influenced by the timing of the fertile phase. Male mating success was clearly related to male dominance rank, with high-ranking males performing the overwhelming majority of copulations. This was mainly due to both rank-related rates of male soliciting behavior and intermale aggressiveness during the period of well-developed female anogenital swelling. Although females solicited copulations mainly from the high-ranking males and thus expressed a mate choice based on rank, their overall contribution in initiating copulations and thus influencing male mating success was low. The data on paternity from the population, which always contained 4 adult males, revealed that -males sired the majority (65%) of offspring. We conclude, that male dominance rank is an important determinant of male mating and reproductive success in captive (and presumably wild) chimpanzees and that female mate choice is of minor importance in modulating male reproductive outcome.     

Insights into the Cellular Function of YhdE,a Nucleotide Pyrophosphatase from Escherichia coli

YhdE, a Maf-like protein in Escherichia coli, exhibits nucleotide pyrophosphatase (PPase) activity, yet its cellular function remains unknown. Here, we characterized the PPase activity of YhdE on dTTP, UTP and TTP and determined two crystal structures of YhdE, revealing ‘closed’ and ‘open’ conformations of an adaptive active site. Our functional studies demonstrated that YhdE retards cell growth by prolonging the lag and log phases, particularly under stress conditions. Morphology studies showed that yhdE-knockout cells transformed the normal rod shape of wild-type cells to a more spherical form, and the cell wall appeared to become more flexible. In contrast, YhdE overexpression resulted in filamentous cells. This study reveals the previously unknown involvement of YhdE in cell growth inhibition under stress conditions, cell-division arrest and cell-shape maintenance, highlighting YhdE’s important role in E. coli cell-cycle checkpoints.     

Stability and Change of Social Relationship Quality in Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

In social animals an individual’s fitness depends partly on the quality of relationships with others. Qualitative variation in relationships has been conceptualized according to a three-dimensional structure, consisting of relationship value, compatibility, and security. However, the determinants of the components and their temporal stability are not well understood. We studied relationship quality in a newly formed group of 20 captive chimpanzees made up of several previously existing social groups. We assessed dyadic relationship quality 2?yr and again 7?yr after grouping. We confirmed the existence and stability of three relationship components and labeled them value, compatibility, and approach symmetry. Previously familiar dyads had a higher value than unfamiliar dyads, especially when they were maternally or paternally related. Compatibility was higher in dyads with only females than in dyads containing a male, but familiarity did not influence compatibility. Approach symmetry was initially higher, but later lower, in familiar than unfamiliar dyads, indicating that approach symmetry of familiar dyads decreased over time. Dyadic value and compatibility were highly stable over time, which is similar to the long relationship duration found in wild chimpanzees. In sum, relationships formed earlier in life became more valuable than those formed in later adulthood, whereas nonaggressive, compatible relationships could be formed throughout life. This suggests that for immigrating individuals, high-value relationships may be relatively difficult to establish, partly explaining why wild female chimpanzees have relatively few high-quality relationships with other females. Our study supports the multicomponent structure and durability of relationships in social species.     

dGTP Starvation in Escherichia coli Provides New Insights into the Thymineless-Death Phenomenon

Starvation of cells for the DNA building block dTTP is strikingly lethal (thymineless death, TLD), and this effect is observed in all organisms. The phenomenon, discovered some 60 years ago, is widely used to kill cells in anticancer therapies, but many questions regarding the precise underlying mechanisms have remained. Here, we show for the first time that starvation for the DNA precursor dGTP can kill E. coli cells in a manner sharing many features with TLD. dGTP starvation is accomplished by combining up-regulation of a cellular dGTPase with a deficiency of the guanine salvage enzyme guanine-(hypoxanthine)-phosphoribosyltransferase. These cells, when grown in medium without an exogenous purine source like hypoxanthine or adenine, display a specific collapse of the dGTP pool, slow-down of chromosomal replication, the generation of multi-branched nucleoids, induction of the SOS system, and cell death. We conclude that starvation for a single DNA building block is sufficient to bring about cell death.     

A Parameterized Model of Amylopectin Synthesis Provides Key Insights into the Synthesis of Granular Starch

A core set of genes involved in starch synthesis has been defined by genetic studies, but the complexity of starch biosynthesis has frustrated attempts to elucidate the precise functional roles of the enzymes encoded. The chain-length distribution (CLD) of amylopectin in cereal endosperm is modeled here on the basis that the CLD is produced by concerted actions of three enzyme types: starch synthases, branching and debranching enzymes, including their respective isoforms. The model, together with fitting to experiment, provides four key insights. (1) To generate crystalline starch, defined restrictions on particular ratios of enzymatic activities apply. (2) An independent confirmation of the conclusion, previously reached solely from genetic studies, of the absolute requirement for debranching enzyme in crystalline amylopectin synthesis. (3) The model provides a mechanistic basis for understanding how successive arrays of crystalline lamellae are formed, based on the identification of two independent types of long amylopectin chains, one type remaining in the amorphous lamella, while the other propagates into, and is integral to the formation of, an adjacent crystalline lamella. (4) The model provides a means by which a small number of key parameters defining the core enzymatic activities can be derived from the amylopectin CLD, providing the basis for focusing studies on the enzymatic requirements for generating starches of a particular structure. The modeling approach provides both a new tool to accelerate efforts to understand granular starch biosynthesis and a basis for focusing efforts to manipulate starch structure and functionality using a series of testable predictions based on a robust mechanistic framework.     

Insights into the mechanisms of the selectivity filter of Escherichia coli aquaporin Z

Aquaporin Z (AQPZ) is a tetrameric protein that forms water channels in the cell membrane of Escherichia coli. The histidine residue (residue 174) in the selectivity filter (SF) region plays an important role in the transport of water across the membrane. In this work, we perform equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to illustrate the gating mechanism of the SF and the influences of residue 174 in two different protonation states: Hsd174 with the proton at Nδ, and Hse174 with the proton at Nε. We calculate the pore radii in the SF region versus the simulation time. We perform steered MD to compute the free-energy profile, i.e., the potential of mean force (PMF) of a water molecule through the SF region. We conduct a quantum mechanics calculation of the binding energy of one water molecule with the residues in the SF region. The hydrogen bonds formed between the side chain of Hsd174 and the side chain of residue 189 (Arg189) play important roles in the selectivity mechanism of AQPZ. The radii of the pores, the hydrogen-bond analysis, and the free energies show that it is easier for water molecules to permeate through the SF region of AQPZ with residue 174 in the Hse state than in the Hsd state.     

Digesta Passage,Digestibility and Behavior in Captive Gorillas Under Two Dietary Regimens

Gorilla adaptation has been debated in recent years given the wide variation among diets of gorillas in different habitats. Gorillas are the largest of living primates, have large colons and should be capable of processing tough foods. Preliminary captive studies have suggested that they may well have long average gut retention times relative to smaller hominoids, which should facilitate digestive efficiency in their wild counterparts. Indeed, wild gorillas consume large amounts of fibrous foods as staples or fall-back foods across their range, in response to habitat-related or seasonal changes in fruit availability. Fluctuations in diet might be matched by changes in digesta passage and digestibility, with possible selective retention of harder to digest items. We further studied digestive processes via chemical cobalt and chromium markers to track liquid and solids, as they passed through the guts of gorillas at the San Francisco Zoo (SFZ). In addition, we examined the effects of variation in captive diets on intake, digesta passage, digestion and behavior. The SFZ gorillas exhibited high digestibility coefficients, and gut passage was long relative to those of smaller-bodied hominoids. The results permit us to understand more fully the relationships of digestive processes to adaptation and dietary flexibility in the wild and to inform the development of dietary recommendations to improve the well-being of captive gorillas.